Chasing Brick Shadows

Maroula Blades

 
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COURTNEY SIMCHAK: As a poet and an artist, do you find your work process is the same or different when working in both mediums? What is the comparison for you, in writing a poem versus painting? Do you work in other mediums as well?

MAROULA BLADES: Yes, as a poet and artist, my work process is different when working in both forms. When writing poetry, my imagination is given a nudge by something I have seen, experienced, researched or heard about. Most of my written works in poetry and prose concern social issues, past and present. The issues are challenging to write as they touch upon life struggles i.e. austerity, physical and mental disabilities, homelessness, identity, racism and discrimination. The majority of my poems are written in free verse. But I also enjoy writing in classical poetry forms like the pantoum, haiku sestina, and the odd sonnet.

Regarding painting, my approach is different. My art is abstract, so it materializes while doing. I’m a big fan of the New York School of artists and other abstract expressionists like Jack Whitten, Mark Bradford, Agnes Martin, Paul Klee, Cy Twombly and Roberto Matta. Matta was inspired by using the method “psychic automatism” (automatic painting or writing) which was introduced to him by the surrealist writer André Breton. I like the surrealist methodology too. So, I first draw without thought, nondescript forms with oil pastels, and then I turn to paint. A lot of my paintings are very layered; the top image might appear methodical. But the deeper you go, the freer it becomes. Sand, gravel and stone are present in some pictures too.

I also compose with my musical partner, Jörg Heinrich (aka George Henry), soundscapes for my poems. In addition, we make films to illustrate the poetry and also use my artwork in the productions. As I am also a singer, I use my singing vocals as an added colour. We produce the films, the backing soundscapes and CDs in Jörg’s recording studio. At multimedia events, I read live while the films are projected on to a large screen behind me and the soundscapes are aired. Everything is pre-programmed except for the poetry.
 

SIMCHAK: How did you get involved with painting?

BLADES: From an early age, I was interested in art. Aunt Bea, my mother’s best friend of over fifty years, who has passed on, introduced me to the arts and ancient buildings in England. She lived in Salisbury; a historic English town. I visited her often on the weekends. She took me to cultural events and historical sites like Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, and the Salisbury Playhouse. Aunt Bea was well-informed about art. She was on a committee to save significant landmarks around the town from being demolished to make space for i.e. supermarkets or carparks.
 

SIMCHAK: Most of your work is in painting. Was this your first choice of medium? Do you find yourself working in other mediums as well?

BLADES: Yes, painting was my first choice of medium, and then I made collages. As I have already mentioned, I often work with sand, gravel and stone. I love to work with stones, especially the ones that contain mica like granite and dolomite. I know two generous sculptors who give me their rests. Also, I like to photograph stone, shale, sand and rock formations. I have even written a prose poem about various types of stone titled “There Is and Will Only Be Stone.” (smile)
 

SIMCHAK: Can you talk about what has motivated your most recent work in “Chasing Brick Shadows”? Was there a single source of inspiration for these images or was it cumulative?

BLADES: My most recent works that include “Chasing Brick Shadows” were created for my art exhibition titled “Codes & Colours”. The exhibition took place in November 2019 at a Berlin gallery called Künstlerhof Alt-Lietzow 12. There was not a single source of inspiration, but I am stimulated by the ever-changing colours in nature. I showed a series of sand and stone works and also abstract acrylic works. Geometrical shapes are in all the artworks. In the mixed media sand suite, some shapes made with stones were intuitive. For me, they resemble ancient symbols.
 

SIMCHAK: Have you always lived in Berlin? If not, what drew you to Berlin, to make your home?

BLADES: No, I was born in Southampton, England. Since 1993, I have been living in the Berlin. I was drawn to Berlin during my late teens while holidaying. Berlin is an attractive city with an energetic, international, artist-friendly scene. My intention was to meet like-minded people with whom I can work with on creative projects.
 

SIMCHAK: What strengths and weaknesses do you find as an artist of the abstract?

BLADES: I consider myself not a fully-fledged abstract painter, so my opinion is not perhaps as mature as I would like it to be. But I can say that I find abstract art very potent. It can evoke in the viewer all sorts or sensations, associations and imagery. There are no hard-baked rules which I find a strength. One can use an array or mediums, everything and anything goes. In this art form, experimentation is the key. It’s a wonderful and liberating experience, a stirring of the mind. Balance, colour, harmony, rhythm, and tension, I hope are present in my works. Active surfaces I find fascinating as they draw you into the artwork, hence the layering in my paintings.
When I think of what should feature in a painting, Mark Rothko art comes to mind. His masterly sublime works captivate the senses. Rothko’s canvases affect both the conscious and subconscious levels. Some people have had profound realizations while observing a Rothko painting.
 

SIMCHAK: You have participated in several multimedia presentations that bridge poetry and music together. Can you talk about what that process is like to prepare for? Is there one thing you hope for at the end of a reading, performance or a gallery show? What do you think poetry and music contribute to one another that each form doesn’t bring on its own?

BLADES: Since 1999, I have collaborated with my musical partner, Jörg Heinrich, on several multimedia performances in Germany. It can take us months to create a presentation. I always begin with the written word, and then build on from there. We compose music for each poem; its function is to enhance and to create a particular ambience. At the end of the work process, we produce the films. After which, I begin to paint the artwork for the productions. As I live in Germany, not everyone who comes to a live event has a good knowledge of the English language. Because of this, we embed German subtitles into the films or under projected images. A lot of the translations I do myself. Also, I work with professional German speakers who read the translated poetry. All the creative elements help to transport the essence of the written word and supports understanding. For several years, I have been performing multimedia events with this format. Besides the public events, I also give bilingual poetry workshops in Berlin schools and high schools. In November 2019, my educational multimedia project “Fringe” was nominated for the Amadeu Antonio Prize. The video is on YouTube.

After a reading, we have the opportunity to talk to the public. Often out of these conversations, artistic collaborations occur. We hope our events encourage constructive exchanges between diverse groups. And we hope that these groups wish to share their experiences, opinions and inherent cultures in the safe space.

Regarding the art shows, my goals are different. I’m honoured if the viewers appreciate my works and can relate to them in some form. In the exhibition space, I hope the attendees feel welcome and can peruse the paintings at their own leisure. The lighting on the installations is not harsh, but inviting. Often people interpret my paintings differently to how I perceive them. That’s fine by me because everyone has their own individual sensibilities and experiences. These natural characteristics come into play when observing a piece of art and they inform it. The experience is subjective. To compliment the art shows, professional singers, and musicians are invited to play at the openings. Our ambient poetry CDs are played in the background too. We present our poetry films on a large monitor. Headphones are connected to the screen. Observers can detach themselves from their surroundings and immerse into the poetry films.
 
 
SIMCHAK: Do you have any exciting news or projects that you’d like to share?

BLADES: In February 2020, I received a monetary grant from The Jan Michalski Foundation for Writing and Literature in Switzerland. This support assists me in developing a hybrid manuscript of poetry, prose and art called “Roll Over A Change Is Coming!” German translations will also be enclosed in the finished product. My goal is to have this project completed by next year. After which, I will submit the manuscript to publishers.

In May 2020, I have another showing of abstract artworks at the Berlin gallery Künstlerhof Alt-Lietzow 12. A title for the exhibition has yet to be decided.

Bridge House Publishing will release later this year, my flash fiction collection titled “The World In An Eye.” The publisher is an independent publishing house in the UK that specializes in fiction that is a little different. I will also design the artwork for the book cover.

 

Maroula Blades is an Afro-British artist living in Berlin. She was nominated for the Amadeu Antonio Prize 2019 for her multimedia poetry project “Fringe.” She received a High Honourable Mention in the 2019 Stephen A Dibase Poetry Contest Awards and was the first runner up in the 2018 Tony Quagliano International Poetry Award, and the winner of Erbacce Poetry Prize 2012. Maroula’s poetry and prose appears in numerous magazines and anthologies. Her poetry/music/art programmes have been presented on several German stages.